Nothing great ever happens overnight. Our journey in seeing the ‘dream becoming a an reality’ has been a long one, at times very all frustrating and not without tears. Having had the call on our lives for a number of years, it wasn’t until last April that God allowed us to put into practice all that he’d an been training us for.

We left the Christian Centre,Nottingham on a high with the blessing of the senior pastor, David Shearman and the elders. We’d been with them for nearly four years and they knew when we arrived that we were only ‘passing through’. In our minds we were staying for six months, twelve at most, and so for much of our my time with them, although we were ‘loving the journey’, we were also ‘chomping at the bit’ to move on. But at just the right time, God broke in, and through a catalogue of events, Scriptures and prophetic words, we knew it was time to pioneer a new work.

We left in April 2010 and spent ten weeds gathering people to pray with, and to enthuse about our vision, ‘to be an edgy, vibrant and enthusiastic church that by the year 2020 would birth three other strong congregations in the South of Nottingham’. We launched in June having grown from six to around 25, and at the time of writing, seven months on, our numbers are up to into the 90s with a regular attendance around the 70 mark each week.

God has blown our minds with favour, anointing, blessings, people, resources and financial provision. To date we really cannot think of any ‘lows’ – other than constraint of not having our own building; and there isn’t enough space to tell you of our ‘highs’, but if we could share some wisdom with you it would be this.

Enjoy where you are on the way where you are going. In other words, stop and smell the roses! Look for every opportunity to become a better you and always be prepared to learn in the waiting room.

Never run ahead of God. Abraham’s impatience led to the birth of Ishmael. Hold out for the promised. When you’re in the timing of God everything flows.

Don t just leave one church and set up another. Take some time to share your vision with people to let people know are coming, to pray and to seek God s face for strategies and the spiritual keys to your area.

Model servanthood. Be hands on: we aim to be first at church to set up and last to leave after pack down. We’ve modelled it to such an extent that we no longer have to do it… but we still do.

Be ready to work hard, but also to play hard. Have fun with your people. Many people would see the time constraints of planting a church as a negative or a low but it’s all about personality. For us, being able to build God’s church is a vacation rather than a vocation. When you’re doing something you love it is hard to see it as work.

Don’t be too hasty into appointing people into positions of leadership, this way you’ll save yourself the agony of having to ask people to step down later on.

Never ask anyone to come with you! Just share your vision and your enthusiasm and let the Holy Spirit do the convincing and convicting.

Have a releasing culture, delegate well and be prepared to ‘give people a go’.

Be sure to have a spiritual covering. We’ve come under an apostolic network. At all costs, get accountability.

Dream big and don’t limit God. Ephesians 3: 20 tells us that ‘God is able to do immeasurably more than all we can ask or imagine’, and how true we have found that to be.

Be specific. Ask God for exactly what you need. We wanted a bass player and God brought us a professional musician!

Don’t give up the day job! We believe we are called to the workplace as well as the church. God has given us the capacity to do both and we don’t feel called to lay our secular work down . . . . yet! Pioneering and evangelizing communities doesn’t come cheap and being salaried gives us greater financial freedom to sow into the work. Do whatever you feel God is telling you to do and He will bless the work of our hands.

And finally, aim – but don’t strive – to forge great relationships with other churches in the area.

Dave was born in 1960 in Clatter Bridge Hospital Bebington. At the age of five, the family moved toBrisbane, then toMelbourne, ending up inCanberra,Australia. Dave left home to complete a Civil Engineering degree at SydneyUniversity.

It was in his third year at university that he became a Christian, through a large evangelistic push called, ‘Know Christ, Know Life; No Christ, No Life’. He realised that the emptiness within him was in the shape of God and could only be filled by Him alone.

After two years working for a concrete company as a Plant Manager, Dave attended Renewal Ministry Training College in Brisbane in order to strengthen his walk with God and explore God’s plan for his life. After college, Dave became the Youth Pastor at Southside Christian Renewal Centre and was sent out to fulfil his vision for theUK.

Dave has written a number of books with titles such as ‘SQ: Boost Your Spiritual IQ’, ‘The Top 10 of Everything about Christian Leadership’, ‘Jesus Save me from Your Followers’ and his latest book ‘Sacred Cows Make Great BBQs’. He also oversees the Megacentres in Sheffield, Liverpool and Leeds which are conferencing and community centres used to serve the cities practically, as well as the operations centre for the church inSheffield. Dave and Jenny have one son called Ryan who was born in the same year thatHopeCityChurchbegan. He has recently discovered the joy of painting, but too embarrassed to put his own name on the canvas, Dave paints under the name of Dagarté – can you believe it?!

The bit about Jenny

Jenny was born in 1966 inBrisbane,Australia. Adopted at birth she was brought up in a Christian home and gave her heart to Jesus at the age of six.

At age eleven, Jenny was baptised both in water and in the Holy Spirit and throughout her teenage years had a profound sense of the call of God on her life.

At age eighteen, not long after her father passed away, Jenny attendedBibleCollegeand completed a Diploma of Ministry. On the last night of college, while doing some street evangelism, Jenny met Dave – ahhh! Together they became Youth Pastors for about six years until God called them to Sheffield in theUK.

Jenny has just released her second book ‘Heaven Sent’ the perfect accommpanyment to her first book ‘Classic Lines’. They are both packed full of wisdom straight from her devotion journals. Together with Dave, she leadsHopeCityChurchand preaches both nationally and internationally. Jenny has pioneered a ministry called ‘City Hearts’ for women in theUKandEuropeand has a heart to see broken women restored. In June 2005 she openedHopeCityChurch’s first home for young women inSheffield.

Jenny loves interior design, fitness and shopping, but mostly her teenage son Ryan.

Andy is the founder and senior leader of Family Church, located inPortsmouth, on the south coast ofEngland. He is a visionary leader who has seen the church grow from 12 people on its first day to well over 600 in ten years. He is also planting out other churches: the first one in Gosport opened in 2005 and Havant opened in 2009 – all three churches are growing steadily.

Welcome to ChichesterFamilyChurch! We are a welcoming and exciting multicultural newly launched church in the heart of Chichesterwith a passion to enhance the lives of men and women in our sphere of influence.

We hope that you will feel at home as you join us on our amazing journey. Our desire is to be a community which is passionate for God, loving towards one another and caring to the world. AtChichesterFamilyChurch, our vision is to be “salt and light” to our community ensuring we always add value to every man, woman and child we come into contact with.

We also believe that you are special and precious to God, that you were created for a specific purpose and that as a church; we are here to help you discover and meet your potential! Take a look around our site to find out more about our church or, better still, join us at one of our services! If you’d like to get in touch.

OUR VISION

At ChichesterFamilyChurch, our vision is to be “Salt and Light” to our community by impacting everyone we meet with the good news of the gospel. We aim to equip every person to reach their potential, released to serve in their area of passion and encouraged to use their God given abilities.

OUR VALUES

We are passionate for God

We love God with our whole heart: we worship God wholeheartedly; we give generously; we serve enthusiastically; and we live our lives openly and joyfully.

We are loving towards one another

We are committed to promoting each other’s welfare and adding value to their lives; committed to being accountable; committed to serving one another; and committed to releasing people’s potential.

At ChichesterFamily Church:

Explore. Most of the things we enjoy today have come as a result of people refusing to accept the status quo and stepping out beyond the norm to explore other possibilities. It is our desire to give people the opportunity and the freedom to explore their relationship with God so that they can have their own ‘eureka’ moment.

Experience. Exploration always leads to an experience, and experience creates stronger convictions. People can argue and debate with us about all sort of things but they will never take away our experience.

Expand. Experience helps us to grow. God has endowed each one of us with so much potential and ability and it is our dream to do all we can to enable you to reach your full potential and become what God intended.

Ian and Judith Green are based in Bedworth, England, where they live with theirtwo beautiful children, Sophie and Morgan.

Ian Green is a visionary leader and founder ofNext
Level International and The
Proton Foundation. He is also a sought after conference speaker whotravels internationally on a regular basis. He provides expert assistance toboard level for rapid growth in companies and churches. An accomplishedcorporate strategist Ian has also increased in various business sectors. He isactively fulfilling his vision to see positive cultures created in cities andcommunities around the globe.

Judith Green has been following Jesus for over30 years and has held various leadership roles within the local church. She iscurrently Area Pastor over 4 ladies cell groups, and is involved in teachingand mentoring younger couples. Judith has assisted Ian in the development ofNext Level International and more recently the Proton Foundation and has alsobeen a guest speaker overseas, in the USA,Canada, Czech Republic andRomania.

Ian has spent more than two decades of hislife finding and creating innovative paths for the people of Europe to receive love, hope and a future throughJesus Christ. His relentless passion has seen over 130 churches planted and7000 leaders systematically trained.

Additionally thousands have been involved on ashort term basis in cities and towns across Europeresulting in movements of young and emerging leaders coming to take their placein the advancement of the cause of Jesus.

Ian is a sought after conference speaker whotravels internationally on a regular basis. Ian’s pioneer gifting enables himto impart faith and vision from God’s Word in a vibrant and inspiring mannerand he is actively fulfilling his vision to see positive cultures created incities and communities around the globe.

WHAT
PEOPLE SAY:

“Having known Ian and the work that he iscalled to for many years, I am delighted to write these few words of supportand recommendation. His passion and vision for reaching the lost, encouragingthe believers, discipling those who desire to be trained, and seeking to seenations effected by the preaching of the gospel, is an example to us all.”John

Partington, National Leader of Assemblies ofGod inGreat Britain.

“For over twenty years leaders such as myselfwithin the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada have had the privilege ofpartnership with Ian Green in areas such as church planting, leadershipdevelopment and short term missions. In all of our endeavours together we havefound Ian to be a strategic Kingdom builder marked by integrity, passion, faithand prophetic insight. I am happy that our friendship and partnership in Jesusmission continues to thrive.” David Wells, National Leader of Pentecostal
Assemblies of Canada

“Ian Green is one of those rare individuals who has proven over time, thatit is possible for a person possessing immense vision and faith to achieve notonly great accomplishments but also to achieve a personal testimony ofsignificance, integrity and genuine Christlikeness.” Martin Steel, SeniorPastor, Harbourside Church,Auckland,New Zealand”

Ian is an Opener of Doors. He’s opened doorsto nations, doors of personal destinies and doors of financial provision. Twodecades ago he opened a door for my wife and I into Britainthat has proved to be a ‘wide and effective door’. It’s a gift given toPioneers and Apostles of Faith. It’s their wayof serving the Kingdom and Ianand Judith do it amazingly well.” Dave Gilpin, Author andSenior Pastor, Hope City Church,Sheffield, United Kingdom.

“Ian Green is a change agent. Whether it’s the personal change broughtabout by his example, the culture change which is a result of missionalbusiness enterprise or the faith change that comes as he ministers the Word,people are never the same after Ian has entered their world. He brings Godlytransformation wherever he goes.” Bill Howell, Executive Director

Margaret and Paul Fennor came to Kentin 1999 to pastor DealPentecostal
Church. Paul began his
training for the ministry in 1989nin PLYMOUTH, Devon. After a year of academic study, Paul together with
Margaret pastored a church in Stowmarket, Suffolk.
After completing further studies, Paul was ordained as a minister with Elim Pentecostal
Churches as well as pioneering a
church in Bridgwater, Somerset.
During their time in Bridgwater, Margaret and Paul hosted “Discipleship Schools”
where people from the UK
and overseas came for intense training before being encouraged to go and make
disciples of all nations. Many of those students are still ministering
effectively in various parts of the world.

Paul is Chairman and Treasurer of the South East Region of
the Assemblies of God and on the national AoG Appeals Panel.

Locally Paul is Chairman of the Deal Area Churches
Together, Chaplain with the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Trust at the
Deal Station and Critical Incident Chaplain with Kent County Council.

In 2004, Paul graduated with a Master’s degree in
Pentecostal Studies from the University
of Wales, Bangor through the Assemblies of God Bible
College at Mattersey, Notts. He studied Church History and Spiritual Gifts, researching
the effect of miracles on faith throughout Church history.

As Margaret and Paul declare God’s Word they regularly see
signs, wonders and miracles. The Word of God which is at work in you who
believe – 1 Thessalonians 2: 13. Their main emphasis is Emmanuel – God dwelling
with His people because of the New Covenant that Jesus introduced.

David is from the East of England and was brought up in a Christian family environment. He came to faith in Jesus in his childhood and felt the call of God on his life in his early teens.

Margaret is from the Home Counties and she too was brought up in a Christian family. She came to faith in Jesus in her mid teens and life has never been the same since.

David and Margaret have been involved in church life for over 25 years in a variety of roles. They have been involved in church planting, children’s work, pastoring, preaching, teaching, mentoring and worship.

David and Margaret enjoy serving God together and they are the parents of 2 children, one of whom has special needs.

Both David and Margaret have been involved with mission, travelling to Africa,IndiaandSouth-east Asia.

Their heart is to see God at work in Devizes, building and strengthening the body of Christ so that we can impact our community with the love of God.

VISION

The vision of the church is based on the following mission statement:

‘The purpose of Rock Community Church is to give every man, woman and child the opportunity of understanding the Gospel and to provide a church where they can grow and develop in ministry for the glory of God.’

The mission statement sees itself fulfilled in the life and community of the church as we seek to follow the Great Commission and Great Commandment of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Great Commission is based on Matthew 28:18-20 – ‘Jesus said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.’ NIV

The Great Commandment is based on what Jesus said in John 13:34-35, ‘A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.’ This is tied in closely with the what Jesus said in Matthew 22:37-39: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbour as yourself.’

Alongside this, our desire and passion is to see a number of things happening in the church which will cause an effect in our local community: worship and praise that is extravagant and real, and through which He moves in the house and the local community.

We see the church as a place of Worship, Word, Work and Witness; a place of Decision, Discipleship and Destiny; a place of Fun, Fellowship, Faith and Family.

We see the church as a place where God dwells, a place where God inspires and empowers people for life, and where the people are God-centred in what they do, say and live; which is in turn lived out by the people on a daily basis in their locality – in school, work, home and community.

We see church as a place of Solid Foundation, Sure Focus and Strong Faith; a place where lives are built up, encouraged and challenged as they encounter the Living God.

Our heart and passion for the church is that it will be a place of Faith, Hope and Love; a place where lives can be ‘Empowered for Living’; a place where the presence of God is.

Michael & Sandra Bonner were both born inNuneaton. Sandra was converted to Christ in her early teens & whilst leafleting she met her future husband. They joined a missions team & have travelled allot of theUK & some parts of Europe & Asia sharing God’s love. They have been in ministry for over 30 years and have planted churches in Gloucestershire & the Shetland Isles, and then in 1986 took up the pastorate of Coventry. They have 2 daughters.

The church began as a result of an evangelist called Fred Squires who held a mission in the 1930`s. Remarkable healing and salvation took place so the original building was built. Since then we have built new premises and recently added to these so making quite an impressive facility in which we hold many varied meetings.

We are a University Cityand have students attend. If you are a student we would warmly welcome you to our meetings, perhaps you would find the Student Services more helpful. Please make yourself known to us.

We are affiliated to the world wide Pentecostal churches known as the Assemblies of God, and are also part of the evangelical alliance.

Due to the growing numbers in our meetings we have 2 main services on a Sunday. The first is at 9.00am until 10.15am. Then following that is 10.45am until 12.15pm. There is a Sunday evening service at 6.30pm.

Born at Gibraltar in 1940, I was brought up inFolkestone,Kent. At 18, commuting daily by train to work inLondon, I met Christine who invited me to a gospel meeting where I met Christ. I started to attend theAOGChurchwhere Christine and her family were founder-members.

Married in 1961, the Lord blessed us with our children Duncan, Alison, Eilean and Francine. The three eldest are all happily married and have provided us with eight delightful grandchildren.

I held a responsible position as Chief Draughtsman in a multinational company, coupled it with a call to ministry, and we pastored our local church for seven years in this dual role. Then, in 1973, the Lord called us, and I resigned both roles to become an evangelist with AOG Home Missions — our faith venture. An exciting year saw people saved and healed, churches planted, and multiplied miracles of provision especially experienced by Christine and the children. Co-evangelist for much of this year was my friend Dennis Robson, whose passion and able ministry fired my own. Our singing, accompanied by our piano accordians (and another friend Ray Westbrook) was a feature of AOG Conferences for many years.

We pastored the AOG church in Leek, Staffordshire; five years fruitful ministry that encompassed the purchase and remodelling of a new building to hold the burgeoning congregation. In 1979, the Lord led us to Bury,Lancashire, privileging us to fulfil a ministry (with yet more remodelling of church buildings) which culminated in our handing on the leadership 30 years later. We still serve this growing church as Emeritus Pastors, and I maintain by God’s grace a ministry in Bible teaching, and lecturing in Pastors’ Conferences andBibleSchoolsoverseas.

I have been privileged to serve Assemblies of God on the former Home Missions Council (1981-92), the former National Executive Council (1996-2007), and as Chairman of its Annual Conference several times and Regional and District Councils. From 2003 to the present, I’ve served on the external faculty ofMatterseyHallCollege, holding a Masters degree in Theology.

God has opened the door for our ministry in places all over the world through all these many years. We have enjoyed it all and give Him thanks and praise.

Arthur and Margaret Hibbert were both born into Christian families inYorkshire. From birth Arthur was taken to Glad Tidings Hall inWakefieldand Margaret to the Apostolic church in Great Houghton, (Rotherham). Arthur began to preach around many of the local churches in his late teens , and met with Margaret on the occasion of being asked to preach in the Thurnscoe Assembly of God where Margaret was the pianist. They have been married for 49 years and have two sons, two daughters and seven grandchildren.

They have together pastored churches inYorkshire,Scotlandand The Midlands. In addition Arthur was part of the ministry teams in Bedworth and in Croydon and in both these churches developed and directed aBibleSchool.

Since 1981 they have had a large involvement in Missions and their work has covered the old Eastern Bloc nations ofEuropeas well as many African countries. Arthur has served for many years on the Overseas Missions department of Assemblies of God and on its successor, World Ministries of Assemblies of God.

In 1998 they felt a tremendous burden from the Lord to build a day school for underprivileged children in a deprived area ofNorthern Zambia. At that time there was no such thing as free education inZambiaand as a consequence the children of the village where the school was to be built would have had no hope of any education.

The school was built and opened in 2002. It started with 240 children of a variety of ages and has now developed into a school for Grades 1 to 9, and has 400 pupils. Each child is educated and fed free of charge. The basic cost of running this school, with a staff of 26, is £48,000 per year. A church has been established on the school premises and about 200 people meet every Sunday.

John and Pauline were married in 1970 when John was pastoring in Castleford, West Yorkshire. Before this John was an Assemblies of God Home Missions Herald and Worker involved in following up Missions and leading Church Plants.

They were at Castleford a total of seven years, and moved to Nottinghamwhere they pastored the Strelley Assembly for 14 years which grew to 80 people. They were then called to the WigstonChurch, completing 15 years there. The WigstonChurchis about 130 strong but it ministers to a large number of children and young people touching 400 people a week.

John has also trained as a Social Worker and has been engaged in various aspects of this work. His experience has led to roles with the Churches Child Protection Advisory Service and leading courses at Mattersey Hall College. He has also helped to run Link Fellowship and edit the Link Magazine. Pauline trained as a teacher and has worked part time at Leicester College but is retiring at Christmas. Pauline has been fully engaged in pastoral work with John through their pastorates.

The last two years has seen them in a wider ministry in ministering mainly to churches without pastors. This has led to a relationship building up with the Corby Pentecostal Church and a call to the pastorate here.

John and Pauline see great potential in this expanding town. The challenge is great but God is great. John and Pauline see a love and desire to reach out to the wide community in the church members.

A verse that God has given them for Corby is Haggai 2:19 FROM THIS DAY WILL I BLESS YOU. This speaks of God’s blessing for a new day despite the difficulties and adversities which define the times we live in. The blessing embraces God’s smile, God’s Spirit and God’s grace. The verse speaks of a fresh commitment for a new day. The Pentecostal church in Corby, established for 60 years and still a thriving community of worshippers. Here, at our church, we are committed to bringing the message of hope and salvation to a needy and troubled world. We believe that this message can only be found in the Lord Jesus Christ.